The Gaidar Institute’s (IEP) market research for industrial companies, updated for mid-April, noted that in the absence of unpaid labor and production capacities, demand for industrial enterprises’ products has increased. Almost zero unemployment necessitates investments in expansion and modernization of production. In this respect Wrote Kommersant newspaper.
According to the institute, the demand in the sector in April reached the level of February 2022. In March-April, the balance of the indicator added eight points and eventually turned positive. At the same time, current IEP surveys not only record the largest workforce gap for the entire monitoring period from 1996-2023, but also the lack of capacity recorded for the third time in survey history (first two chapters). 2007–2008 and it was the end of 2021 – the beginning of 2022), continues from the article.
According to the author of the study, Sergey Tsukhlo, the problem of lack of capacity of industrial enterprises can be solved quite quickly with investments, while there is no shortage of personnel.
According to the forecast of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, in 2023 capital investments should increase by 0.5% against the background of last year’s high base. Going forward, investment should grow faster, according to the ministry’s forecast – 3.2% and 3.7% in 2024 and 2025, and 4.5% in 2026.
The government of the Russian Federation has already expressed plans to expand investments in the industrial sector, but, as noted in the article, this was thwarted by the epidemic and Russia’s special operation in Ukraine.